Packing for oil and other wells



(No Model.)

J. K. ROBINSON 8a D. A. STRONG.

Packing for Oil and o'ther Wells.

Patented Sept. 14,1880.

N.PEYRS. PHOTO-LITHOGRAPHER. WASHINGTQN. n C.

e UNITED STATES PATENT OEEICE.

JOHN K. ROBINSON, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, AND DAVID A. STRONG, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

PACKING FOR OIL AND OTHER WELLS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 232,209, dated September 14, 1880.

Application filed June 12, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN K. ROBINSON, of Washington city, District of Columbia, and DAVID A. STRONG, of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement for Packing the Discharging-Tubes of Oil or other Deep- Bored Wells; and we do hereby7 declare the following to be a clear and exact description I@ thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

In oil or other deep wells it is found necessary to pack the well in such manner as to prevent the surface or overflow water, or water from the veins or crevices in the well above the location of the packer, from passing down below the packer to mingle with the product 2O or iiuids at the bottom of the well, or at such point in the well as it may be found necessary to draw or force the fluid from, and also to preclude the gas and oil or other products below lthe packer from escaping past it, and to effectually conne the'gas, when in a iiowing well, within such space as will utilize the pressure of the gas in forcing the oil with which it is mingled to pass up and through the eductiontube.

Our invention relates to the construction, application, and mode of operating such a packing device, and is an improvement on the packer for deep wells described in Letters Patent of the United States granted to us, dated February 6, 1866, No. 52,448, and reissued Letters Patent dated July l, 1879; and it consists, in this instance, first, in constructing and applying the device in such manner as to enable the operator to insert and easily with- 4o draw all of the tubing and packer from an oil or other deep well; second, in constructin g the device in such manner as to enable the operator to withdraw all the tubing from the well without removing the outer elastic casing of said packing; third, in the peculiar construction of suitable connections and manner of uniting the packing to said connections, together with the upper and lower tube-sections of an oil or other deep well; fourth, in the pe- (No model.)

several devices, as will insure a more perfect packing for a well; fifth, in the introduction of a suitable check within the interior of the packing material in such manner as to preclude the flow of oil through the tubing duringuthe operation of placing the tubing in the we In order that ourinvention may be fully understood, we will proceed to describe it with 6o reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a central vertical section taken on line @c x, Fig. 2, with partial sections of those portions of the well-tube to which it is applied. Fig. 2 is a transverse section. Fig. 3 is an elevation of the wire rope held in place by the gibs and set-screws.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts. 7o

In the drawings, A and B are two sections of well-tubing. A short section of the lower part of the upper tube-section, A, is provided with an external screwthread, a, on which is screwed an adjustable nut or collar, C, which is designed to adjust the downward movement (within the packing) of the upper tube-section,

A. On the lower end ot'- this short section of tubing an external enlargement, b, decreasing slightly in the direction of thc nut or collar 8o C, is arranged for the purpose of suspending couplings D and E with packing F and Gand lower tube-section, B.

A short portion of the extreme end of the tube A, as at c, is externally reduced or cham- 8 5 fered for the purpose of securing an easy passage ofthe said tube through the elastic rubber packing, as shown.

D is a metal coupling, the external diameter of which is made somewhat smaller than the 9o bore of the well. The form of the couplingbeing concavous on itslower surface, receives the end bearings of the elastic packings in such manner that when being compressed will materially assist in forcing the packing in a lateral direction to the eduction-tubes, whereby the external ends or edges of the packing are not liable to adhere or stick to the wall of the well.

The coupling D has perforated through the 10o 5o culiar form and arrangement of the packing center an opening, d, the size and shape of material, together with the movement of the which conforms with the taper enlargement purpose of passing through and makingtastV a exible wire rope, as shown.

E is a lower metal coupling, the external diameterofwhich is made to pass through the internal portion of the outer elastic rubberv packing or casing when pulled through it, the

upper surface of said coupling being concaved correspondingly to the lower surface of the upper coupling, D.

A suitable portion of the con plin gis provided lengthwise through its center with an opening or enlargement, g, thereby perinittin g the lower partof the upper tube-section, A, to pass freelyl therein on its downward movement, if desired. An intermediate space, 7L, below may beV provided with a shoulder or seat, i', which may abut or form a joint upon the upperwend of the lower tube-section, B, which is screwed into the extreme lower end of said coupling, a suitable screw-thread, 7c, having been prepared therefor. Holes of corresponding size and number are perforated lengthwise, as in coupling D, for the passage of the flexible wire rope.

F is an elastic rubber packing, reduced at its lower external diameter and increased at its upper external diameter, forming a tapered circumferential surface from end to end, the convex vends of which are formed to iit within the concavous portion ZZ ofthe upper and lower couplings. Holes are also provided through it lengthwise, corresponding in size and location to the holes in couplings D and E for the passage of the flexible wire rope.

The form of the internal surface of the elastic packing F is shown in Fig. l, m m m, being contracted diainetrically at the middle and increased at the respective ends in such ina-nner as to permit the enlarged portion of the lower end of the upper tube-section, A, to pass downward some distance before expansion takes place in the packing.

G represents an outer .elastic rubber casing lor packing, the length'of' which corresponds with the length of the elastic packing F, the external diameter, n u, being cylindrical and somewhat less than the bore of the well. The internal diameter, o 0, is made to correspond with the externalsize of the packing F, over which it is drawn in such manner as .will'prevent it slipping off when being lowered `into or withdrawn from the well.

H represents a iexible wire rope of steel, iron, or cpper, of suitable dimensions, for the purpose of connecting the upper and lower metal couplings, D andE, securely together, be-

tween which the elastic rubber packings are confined, an'dalso forthe purpose of sustaining each other in the lower coupling, E, elasticpacking F, and upper coupling, D, then se- 'lhe respective ends of 7o cured within vthe conical enlargements f f of thevholes c c in the upper surface of the couplling D, in the manner usually adopted for securing the strain ends of wire rope.

Below the under surface of the coupling E the wire lrope may form a loop, r, to avoid an abrupt turn in the rope, upon which a suitable Vmetal stud or gib is seated, the upper end of the stud or gib thus forming a rest or bearing for the under surface ofthe coupling E, thereby enabling any slack of the loop to be tightened, all of which insures a rigid connection with the packings and couplings. rlhe gib or stud K being perforated with a lateral hole, t, and

. acorresponding one, u, provided with a screwthread in the lower tube-section, B, is held in place by the screw-bolt o, to prevent it dropping into the well.

1I represents a check of any suitable material inserted within the interior of the packing F in such manner as to prevent its displacement until the downward movement of the upper tube-section, A, relieves it from its position in the packing, when the pressure of the ascending oil and gas will force it to the top of the well.

K represents a metallic gib or stud inserted between the upper part of the loop formed by the flexible wire and the-under surface of the lower coupling, to take up the slack formed in said loop. rlhat portion of the gib next the tube is shaped to iit the tube. The portion resting upon the loop of the iiexible wire rope IOO IOS

may be grooved out to fit the rope, while the 1 part upon which the coupling rests may be iiat and held in place by the screw-bolt c.

Having described the drawings and illustrations, we will further proceed to state' how the invention may be put together, applied, and operated.

The shortpiece of tubing, which is a part of the lower end ofthe upper tube-section, A, having been properly tted to the upper coupling, D, an'd provided with an external screw-thread for the adjustable nut or collar C, is slipped through the coupling, when the adjustable nut or collar may be screwed on as desired. A part of the screw-thread above the collar serves to connect the short tube to the uppertube-section. rlhe lower tube-section may be screwed into the coupling E tothe shoulder i, care having been taken to locate the screw-holes for the attachment of the gib or stud in the tube with the screw-bolt c. The outer elastic rubber casing, Gr, is then pushed over the packing F until the ends of each are tlush, and inserted between the couplings D and E. rlhe wire rope is then drawn through the packing and couplings, and compression-clamps put on, the packing pressed tightly between the couplings,

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and the tube-sections attached and lowered into the well.

The tube-sections having been connected together with the packing device and lowered into the well7 the lower tube-section resting on the bottom, the downward movement of the upper tube-section through the elastic rubber packing F causes lateral expansion oi' said packing and the outer casing, G, to the wall ot' the well. The lateral expansion of the packing carries with it the iieXible wire rope, which pulls down the upper coupling, D, causing a vertical compression of the paekin gs, which may be further vertically compressed by the partial weight of the upper tube-section., the nut or collarO being so arranged as to press upon the upper surface of the couplingr I) in such manner as will insure the passage of the point of the tube through the contracted opening ot1 the packing F, whereby the check inserted therein becomes released and is forced by the pressure of the gas and oil below through the upper tube-section to the top of the well. The downward movement of the tube may continue until the chamfered-point reaches the lower end of the enlargement g in the coupling E, thereby perfecting the packing of both the well and the tube. i

In withdrawing the packer and tubing from the'well the upper tube-section,being raised at the top, moves upward until the nut or colla-r C leaves the upper surface ofthe coupling D, the vertical compression of the packing is relaxed, and as the upward movement continues the point or lower end of the tube is pulled through the opening in the packing F until it reaches the tapered enlargement in the coupling D. I

The elastic strength of the solid packing F, with the flexible wire rope pulled taut, springs the packing to its usual position, which becomes fully released in alateral direction from the outer rubber casing or the wall ot' the well, when the tubing and packer can be withdrawn, as described.

When not using the outer rubber casing the lower coupling` may be increased in diameter on its external surface, and the packing F made cylindrical from end to end on its external surface, and also enlarged. It' the outer rubber casing remain in the well, the tubing and packer F may be again inserted therein and the well packed, as described.

The device may be modified without departing from the spirit of our invention. For instance, the adjustable nut or collar C may be a fixed flange, through which bolts may pass, and be fastened to the upper surface of the coupling D in such manner as to enable the tlange to slip down the bolts toward the coupling, through which the tube may pass into the elastic packing and press it out, as herein stated.

The outer elastic packing, G, may be dispensed with, if desired, and the internal packing increased on its external diameter its full length, whereby it is increased in solidit-y and answers the same purpose.

The upper surface of the top coupling, D, may be increased in thickness, and the holes of the wire rope lengthened upward, so that metal plugs may be screwed therein to prevent the gas from escaping through line interstices of the wire-rope, if found necessary.

In this application we do not claim connecting the tube-sections to the packing material and compressing the same to the wall of the well by the downward movement of the upper tube-section, as a similar device was described but not claimed in our early application for Letters Patent granted February 6, 1866.

We do not claim connecting the` tube-sections to or within each other, wherein they are held together' by shoulders or screws to form a slip or telescopic joint.

We do not claim connecting the tube-sections together at any point where the liexible packing surrounds the sliding joint or where the upper tube is connected to the lower tube arranged as a coupling.

We do not claim connecting the respective ends of two sections ot' oil-well tubing by or with an outer tube or cylinder attached to said tubing.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. An elastic rubber packing, F, provided with convexed ends and double conically-inverted central opening through which to pass the eduction-tube, surrounded with an outer elastic rubber packing or casing, G, of external uniform diameter, as shown and described.

2. The combination of the tube A, having an external enlargement, l), and adjustable nut or collar C, with the conca ved coupling D, substantially as described.

3. The combination ot' the tube A, concaved coupling D, and elastic rubber packin gs F and G with the liexible wire rope H, concaved coupling E, the tube B, and gib or stud K, as shown and described.

4. In combination with the tube A and elastic rubber packing F, the rubber or metal check I, inserted within the in teriorof thepacking during the tubing operation, as shown and described.

In testimony whereof we, the said JOHN K. RoBINsoN and DAVID A. STRONG, have hereunto set our hands.

JOHN K. ROBINSON. DAVID A. STRONG.

Witnesses to signa-ture of John K. Robinson Jas. B. ROBINSON, MARIA E. RoBrNsoN. Witnesses to signature ot" David A. Strong:

H. RUBnNs, Gno. A. Manen.

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